Are they koi?

[HSJami]

Last month I had a koi that spawned. I had assumed that all the fry would be eaten by the mospuito fish as soon as they hatched. In the last few days, however, I have noticed an unusual number of tiny fry that I assumed were newborn mosquito fish. Now I'm beginning to wonder if maybe they are koi fry that managed to escape the mosquito fish. How can I tell the difference? I really don't need more fish, but it would be neat to have a couple that were actually spawned in my pond. It they are koi, I'd like to save a few of them.

 

[HSJami]

Well, no one responded. I guess I'm on my own with this one. I caught about a dozen of the little buggers and put them in a 10 gal tank inside. We'll see what develops. I'll probably have a dozen very pampered mosquito fish, but I'm giving it a good try. Who knows? I may have some very nice koi. Yeah! Right!

 

[addy1]

lol hsjami, I was hoping someone with koi would answer you. Most likely you can't tell the difference in the fry until they start growing some. They are just tiny little things for quite awhile, need some size and coloring to figure out type of fish.

 

[HARO]

HS;
Don't get all snarky because no-one responded to your query. You have given us nothing whatsoever to base an opinion on! Personally, I don't think they are koi, since one koi spawning will not produce viable eggs; it takes a male and a female to produce fertile eggs, and eventually fry. Are they mosquito fish? You tell us that you ASSUMED they were mosquito fish, but never told us if you had any adults in your pond. Again, you would need adults to produce fry, although you wouldn't need a male if the female was already gravid. So you see, the best guess I can make based on the info available is that the fry are probably minnows from eggs brought in on the feathers of a visiting duck, or else one of the neighbourhood kids found a way to get rid of some excess Rift Lake cichlid fry.
John

P.S. Sorry...just looked up your profile....didn't mean to be disrespectful to my elders!

 

[sissy]

hmmmm elders . :razz: Really hard to tell with fish until they grow there barbs on the front of there mouths

 

[HARO]

And impossible when the only description is "tiny"!'
John

 

[j.w]

HS it will be neat to see what they turn into whatever they are. Post some pix if ya can as they grow.

 

[HSJami]

Despite Haro's assumption that I'm a total dunce and don't realize it takes a male and female to produce offspring, nor that it takes adult mosquito fish to produce offspring, I do have a pretty good grasp of the science of reproduction. My question was "How can I tell the difference in mosquito fish fry and koi fry?" Thanks, Addy1, for a helpful answer.

 

[HARO]

Sorry, HS, I was just trying to make a point. Give us some information!!!
John

 

[thematt311]

The eyes on a koi are more blue mosquito fish are more black look at adult eyes of both and look at the fry the eyes come weeks before the whiskers just my two pennies also pics can help

 

[jenn.]

I'm new to this but thought my fry was a mosquito fish too. Then he/she got bigger and the tail forked instead of becoming a "fantail" and I figured t must be out koi :.)

 

[fishin4cars]

You have them in a tank? catch a small mosquito fish and put it in the tank as well, You'll see the difference pretty quick when they are side by side. Mosquito fish when young aren't very canabalistic so a mix shouldn't be a issue. If you grow then on the same food and they are koi fry they will out grow the mosquito fish very quickly. Pics would be very helpful.
It's kind of like what kind of koi is this? No pic, take a guess... LOL